Dreamliner

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It’s going back to Europe!

Last Days in Bangkok

A shop stall in a market hall of a mall inspired by floating markets.

I have had a great time here in Bangkok. And in Asia for that matter. Only a couple of days are left now before I return to Europe. Lots of open questions for the near future: when is my new apartment going to be ready? What kind of job will I find? Whatever will happen, will happen. I already got the ball rolling on most issues. I try not to obsess too much and enjoy my last days in Siam.

Thailand has been one of the friendliest and easiest countries to travel. The people are amazing and the infrastructure pretty good. It is easy to get around. I arrived with my usual anxieties, but was comfortable here. I understand that Thailand is praised for being a good ‘first travel’ country, and now I know why. Did I stay a little too long here in Bangkok? Yes, probably. But it was soothing for the soul, and there was a lot to see and do. I tend to fall into ruts even when traveling, and I had to shake myself out of them a couple of times here because I got a little too comfortable. But most of the pleasure of travel in Southeast Asia is just being here. Call it immersion, experience or whatever you like, but taking your time and not rushing from tourist destination to tourist destination was interesting to me. Just being somewhere is sometimes enough.

On most days I catch myself thinking about Japan. Japan has changed me and has become somewhat of a standard for comparisons. Seeing all the Japanese influence here in Bangkok amplifies my longing to go back to Japan. We will see when that could be possible again.

Between elephant pants, gashapon and other souvenirs, my luggage grew to quite a respectable size. I had to buy an additional bag (decathlon to the rescue) in order to transport it all. Let’s hope everything fits.

Ayutthaya

A squirrel with reddish-brown fur and a white belly is on a tree trunk.

Golden Mountain

Prayer bells with red ribbons and tags hanging at a temple, with Thai and buddhist flags in the background.

Today was a tourist day! After enjoying the masked dance in the royal theatre I made my way up the Golden Mountain Wat Saket Ratchawora Mahawihan. It is 344 small steps (probably not DIN 18065) to the top where a golden Pagoda crowns the artificial mountain.

View of Wat Saket and the Golden Mount in Bangkok, with temple rooftops and white stupas in the foreground.

Along the way there are lots of interesting corners and tidbits of information sprinkled throughout. Many many buddha statues but also interesting information about the vultures that lived here in the 19th century during cholera times. The view from the top is worth the 100THB entrance fee alone.

Black and white photo of a small Buddha shrine nestled in a wall alcove, surrounded by dense foliage and wooden stools.

Khim

A woman in traditional outfit playing a thai dulcimer.

Coffee at Kinokuniya

A bright coffee shop counter with wooden shelves displaying coffee beans, brewing equipment, and pastries, under “K COFFEE” and “UCC” signs.

Laundry Day

Laundry machines in a self service laundromat

Being on the road this long lends itself to a certain rhythm. Not every hostel or hotel has a laundry service or some of them charge outrageous per-piece prices I am not willing to pay. Usually there is a full service laundry shop nearby wherein the workers will wash, dry and fold all your laundry until the next day for a per kg price.I used many such shops in the Philippines and in Vietnam. Always very happy with the result and the easy access of them.

In rare cases I will do my laundry in a laundromat myself. Here in Silom I don’t really have any good laundry services nearby and even the closest self-service laundry is 10-minute walk. No problem: just jump on a grab bike or walk the short distance up to Decho Road.

In a small side street in the back houses is a glorious laundromat. The machines are quick and easy to operate with signage being clear and in English. You buy your detergent from a vending machine on the wall for a mere 5THB. You then spend 60THB for the washing cycle and 50THB for the drier. I won’t put some shirts in the drier in risk of shrinking them to doll sizes.

The wash takes 25 minutes. Just enough time to go around the corner and enjoy a nice hot bowl of duck noodles and have a short chat with the duck noodle lady who speaks English very well. Then back to the laundry and change my clothes from the washer to the drier. Another 28 minutes to go I check out the assorted goods of the 7-11 around the corner. After cooling down inside and buying water, vitamin-c drink or to be honest any kind of snack I head back to the laundry a last time. I bundle up all my fresh clothes and head back to my accommodation.

I do this about once a week and usually am done in about 1.5 hours. Not as easy as having a washer and drier in the apartment with me, but I find it to be soothing activity that brings back a bit of structure into this current vagabond life of mine.

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Colorful tops on the fence to a hindu temple.

Hungry I stumble down the Si Lom Road in search for food. I smell the familiar spices of south Indian cookery. I get lucky next to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. A huge Masala Dosa being brought to my temple. Filled with lots of potatoes. I revel in memories of my trip down to Bengaluru a couple of years ago. Sweat running down my back. The heat of the chilis combines with the unrelenting humidity of rainy season.

Silom Sathorn

A street food stall selling prepared cups of rice with toppings. This area is probably my favorite. Vendors sell prepared food in bento boxes or cups. Come noon workers from the nearby business towers swarm the street. Even then, you’ll find plenty of quiet backstreets. The locals seem relaxed and there is plenty to explore.

On the BTS

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I am happy that I am staying close to the BTS. When I fancy to go somewhere I can just jump on the train. They are frequent, cool and cheap.